Truth or Dare
by quibbler149
Summary: Harry and Hermione were the best of friends. The story follows them on through their life and their love of a particular game. Friendship. Oneshot.


_Disclaimer: If my name was J.K Rowling, I would be filthy rich and living an expensive lifestyle instead of typing all hunched up in front of my laptop._

**Title:** Truth or Dare

**Summary:** Harry and Hermione were the best of friends. The story follows them on through their life and their love of a particular game. Friendship. Oneshot.

**Characters: **Harry P., Hermione G.

**Warning(s):** Character death

(o) - O - (o)

It was three o'clock in the morning, and Harry was feeling restless. His bed felt too hot and the snoring of his room-mates too loud.

Slowly, he slid off his bed and tiptoed downstairs to the common room. Hermione was there, studying, obviously. She was dozing sleepily in front of the fire, the book upside-down in her lap. Harry saw the perfect opportunity for sabotage.

"BOO!" he whispered loudly, next to her ear.

Hermione gave a small scream. "Harry! What the hell do you think you're doing? Scaring me like that!"

Harry grinned. He could always get to Hermione like this.

She seemed to notice that she wasn't really studying, and settled down and again, avidly scanning the pages and probably soaking up every slice of information she could find.

Harry looked at the flames, its colorful pattern dancing and reminding him of all the people that were dead: his parents, Sirius, and most of the members of the Order of the Phoenix. He smiled as he remembered Sirius' head popping up in that fireplace, shocking them all.

"What are you grinning at?" asked Hermione.

"Nothing much" he answered.

Hermione looked back to her book. Harry looked at his watch. It was nearly three thirty in the morning. Hermione was furiously reading her book for the fifth time and Harry was growing bored of sitting there.

"Want to do something funny?" he asked Hermione.

She looked up and furrowed her eyebrows. "Like what?"

Harry grinned. "Wanna pull a prank on the Slytherins?"

Hermione sighed. "Harry, honestly, when will you ever learn to grow up?"

Harry looked shocked and replied, "Never!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked back at him. "I've got a game we could play!"

Harry sat up immediately. "Like what?"

Hermione smiled impishly. "Truth or Dare."

"Oh god, I HATE that game!" Harry cried.

Hermione shrugged as her eyes drifted back to her book.

"That or nothing."

Harry considered his options. It was either playing the stupid game, sitting there like a complete idiot and staring at the flames, or he could crawl pathetically back up to bed and fester while never being able to get a wink of sleep.

"Fine" he agreed reluctantly.

Hermione smiled and turned around to face him. "I want to start, though!" Harry said quickly.

Hermione nodded and Harry asked, "Truth or Dare?" Hermione hesitated for a moment before answering, "Truth." Harry rubbed his hands together and started thinking of a drastically humiliating question. "Do you like rubber duckies?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "Is that all you've got? Wow, you really suck! No, I don't like rubber duckies."

Harry seemed deflated and slouched back against the armchair.

"My turn. Truth or Dare?"

Harry immediately answered, "Dare".

"I dare you to…" Surprisingly, Hermione wasn't much good, either. She racked her brains. "I dare you to…help me with my Potions essay."

Harry sneered. "Aren't you a fine one to talk!" Hermione flicked him off, annoyed that she was so rusty.

"Yeah, fine, I'll help you. But I won't guarantee that the information is correct."

Hermione looked very depressed at that moment. They went on talking throughout the night, coming up with pointless dares and laughing their heads off.

And Harry never helped Hermione finish that Potions essay.

(o) - O - (o)

"Hey Hermione."

Hermione looked up to see her best friend leaning casually against her office's doorway.

"Why are you here?"

Harry walked over. "I need some advice…"

Hermione sighed. "I knew it. What's going on now?"

Harry grinned sheepishly and ruffled his hair. "I'm going on a date with Ginny later and I'm wondering if you could give me some advice on what to give her?"

Hermione smiled. "Oh, you two look so cute together. Don't spare any details when you describe it to me later!"

Harry frowned. "What makes you think I'm going to tell you all the details?"

Hermione smirked. "Because that's the only way you're going to get advice from me." Harry nodded.

"Okay, I can do that."

Hermione quickly interrupted, "There's a side dish."

"What?"

"You have to play Truth and Dare with me."

Harry groaned. "Please Hermione, you know I hate that game! You're deliberately torturing me." Hermione shrugged.

"Take it or leave it."

Secretly, Harry wanted to play Truth or Dare too. He knew he had some tricks up his sleeve now that he was more…um…what was the word? Mature.

"All right then, just for a few minutes."

Hermione nodded to herself. "You can start."

Harry thought for a few second before asking, "Truth or Dare." Hermione gave an answer quickly. "Truth." Harry thought hard. "Who was your first crush?" Hermione turned red. "I'm not going to tell you that!"

Harry's eyebrows peered condescendingly at her.

"Fine, it was Oliver Wood."

Harry laughed triumphantly. "I knew it!"

Hermione, filled with embarrassment, vowed to get revenge.

"Truth or Dare?"

Harry replied, "Dare." Hermione pursed her lips, a thousand ideas popping into her mind. "I dare you to…go over to Heidi over there and tell her that you are madly in love with her." Harry stopped in shock.

"No way."

Hermione looked smugly at him. In the end, pride won over. Harry trudged towards Heidi, a fat girl with beauty spots in the wrong places, uneven eyebrows, and cheap $2 lipstick smeared on her front teeth. "I need to tell you something, Heidi." Harry mumbled. Heidi turned towards him, a slutty expression on her face. "I am madly in love with you" he muttered, his words barely heard.

Heidi gasped in shock and immediately started smacking Harry with her pseudo alligator handbag. The gold clasps were unhooked and they repeatedly banged against Harry's forehead. Hermione leaned back in her chair, a conjured up popcorn in her right hand as she speculated the scene.

It was rather funny, actually.

"Are you hitting on me?" demanded Heidi, drawing great puffs of breath from her great exercise. Harry knew that there was only one way to act if he wanted to get out of this mess without Hermione teasing him forever.

"Yes."

Heidi gave a great yell and promptly began thunking her handbag against Harry's head once more. Her frazzled hair flipped up and down and she energetically put all her strength into whacking Harry.

Half an hour later, Harry walked back into Hermione's office with a swollen forehead and clasp imprints tattooed on his face.

"I really, really hate you right now. You do know that, right?"

Hermione grinned. "Of course."

Harry was seething through his teeth with steam blowing out of his ears and a death glare directed at Hermione.

"Now, about that advice…"

Harry glanced up and listened intently, hoping that his great beating had paid off.

"Every women has her own tastes and own likes and dislikes. I cannot say what Ginny likes for it could be very different to my tastes varying from our personalities. She could like twelve rose and a long romantic stroll after a moonlit dinner. Or, she could just like a quick meal at a fast food place, then spend the rest of your date zapping video games at an arcade. I am not sure of what she likes, so I am not much help to you in this area of subject."

Harry looked as if he would very much had liked to take the perfectly sharpened pencils bundled together on Hermione's desk, and thrust them up her nose. After all he had been through!

He stormed out of the office, leaving a smirking Hermione looking as evil as evil can get.

(o) - O - (o)

"Come on, Hermione! Hurry up!" Harry quickly vaulted the steps and skidded into the Underground meeting room. Most of the Order was already there. Hermione was flying down the stairs, attempting to smooth her robes, but to no avail. They were so horribly late.

"Hello, Harry, Hermione." Neville acknowledged them.

Harry grinned sheepishly. "Um…sorry. We lost track of time at the library. We found loads of information, though!" Hermione promptly pulled out a thick pile of leaflets and documents. Remus was looking really, really tired. He gently took the leaflets and looked as if he was about to pass out.

"Thanks." he managed to say.

Harry gave a nervous laugh. Hermione was fidgeting. She didn't like being late.

"Ahem." Professor McGonagall coughed loudly, breaking the silence. "You two are three hours late. The meeting is almost finished." Harry looked embarrassed while Hermione just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. "As a punishment, you two will be doing some paperwork tonight. Stay on after the meeting and I will give you your instructions." Harry nodded and Hermione followed suit. They were both looking as if someone was force-feeding them castor oil.

After the meeting, Harry and Hermione stayed behind. They were given large quantities of paperwork.

"We'll NEVER get all this done!" Harry complained. Hermione had nearly keeled over. Professor McGonagall looked grim. "If you two do not take care of your actions, you WILL face the consequences. Unless, of course, you wish to leave the Order."

They both shook their heads quickly. "Good, get on with it then."

After an hour of work, they were both exhausted and fanning themselves with their hands. "I can't look at another word!" cried Hermione. Harry felt sorry for her. "It's okay. It's only," he checked his watch, "eleven o'clock at night." Hermione nearly burst into tears. She sniffled and looked at Harry. "Will you help me pass the time?" Harry glanced at her downcast expression, and nodded. "Then play 'Truth or Dare' with me."

Harry had grown fond of playing this game with Hermione and agreed.

"Truth or Dare?" he asked Hermione.

"Truth."

He smiled. She was the same old Hermione; never willing to take big risks in one leap.

"What are you thinking about right now?"

She smiled. "None of your business."

Harry tutted and pointed an accusing finger at her. "You're the one that wanted to play, so play properly." Hermione let out a laugh. "I'm thinking about getting out of here like going somewhere in the Caribbean where I don't have to worry about work and I've gotten away from YOU!"

Harry feigned hurt.

"Truth or Dare."

Harry surprised her by answering, "Truth."

Hermione thought for a while before asking, "What did Ginny do when you proposed to her?" Harry laughed. "Hit me on the head and asked me if I was feeling alright!" They both had a laugh. Then, Professor McGonagall swooped in and glared at them. They looked like deer caught in the headlights.

She sighed. "I can see your hearts aren't in it. You may go. Just don't be late again."

They whooped and stumbled out of the room, looking like drunks, the paperwork fluttering in untidy piles around the submerged desk.

(o) - O - (o)

"Crucio!" Harry dodged the spell and yelled, "STUPEFY!" The Death Eater screamed and fell down. He turned around and started tackling another. "Stupefy! Stupefy!" Harry was yelling and the pounding of feet echoed in his ears, adding a sort of hollow sound. He felt weak and defenseless.

It felt so hard to feel brave given the circumstances.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione, aiming spells at many masked creatures. He smiled even though there was nothing funny. A Death Eater jumped around and Harry quickly yelled, "Sectumsempra!"

The Death Eater didn't come any closer. The room was littered with dead bodies. The walls splattered with blood. He didn't know where the rest of his comrades were and he wished to God that they were safe. He was thinking so carefully that he didn't see the Death Eater lunging towards him.

"Harry! Watch out!"

A frantic Hermione scrambled beside him. Harry was too numb with shock to register what was going on. The wand aimed at Harry's head and Harry closed his eyes, ready for the heavy blow, ready to see the end of the world. Surprisingly, it didn't come. He cautiously opened an eye, only to see something a thousand times worse.

Hermione had jabbed her wand into the attacker's eye, then kicked him in the groin, and he was rolling around the floor, gasping and sobbing. However, Hermione had not avoided the spell aimed for Harry. Gushes of blood trickled down her forehead and her eyes seemed glassy and cold. Harry sank down and held his best friend in his arms, the one who had shared the good times and the bad, his other half.

The fighting died around him and darkness closed in and nothing could be heard except the sound of Harry's tears.

(o) - O - (o)

The day was cloudy. Birds seemed to know what was happening and they gathered around to sing a mournful tune. Slowly, the service drew to an end and the people started to leave.

Ginny touched Harry's shoulder, her arms around James, Lily and Albus.

"We'll be waiting for you in the car park."

Harry nodded, not looking around. It was hard to believe that this was Hermione, his best friend, lying under all that dirt. She hated dirt. She was always so tidy and neat. A teacher's pet.

"Hello Hermione." The words stuck in his throat. "Um…bet you never thought I would be so serious, eh?"

A weak chuckle. Then, Harry grew angry. "God damn it! Hermione! Why don't you just bloody wake up and tell me it's all just a joke?" He was gripping the headstone now. Beloved friend wasn't enough to cover his pain and grief. Harry stroked the headstone.

"Hey Hermione. Sorry for blowing up like that. You always said I had an awful temper."

Harry looked at the headstone. It was too unreal, but he smiled anyway. "Hey Hermione, let's play your favorite game. Let's play Truth or Dare. You can start this time. Maybe when we're finished, it'll all be over…"

And somewhere, Harry was sure Hermione was smiling and asking him, "Truth or Dare?"

**AN: I roughly edited some of the story. It's not that great, but acceptable. I'm too lazy to make it awesome right now. So tired…**


End file.
